THG Fanfic
by inmcc
Summary: I wrote this fanfic based on THG series. It's not about any of the characters on the real books. I hope you enjoy it. And it would be nice to know what you think about it *please*
1. Chapter One Reaping Day

Chapter One - Reaping Day

Panem, that's where I live. We're divited in 12 districts violently controled by the Capitol, and we provide them everything they have, have not need, in exchange of nothing but death.  
My district is number 11, where you can hear the mockinjays at the same time you're tourtured by peace keepers. Peace keepers are the soldiers sent by the Capitol to control us. President Snow prefers not to be directly linked with the actions. But, of course I've never been tortured, my family isn't as poor as many others, so they keep me out of trouble. I'm in bed, with my eyes closed. I'm afraid to open them. You want to know why? It's reaping day today. I know what you're going to tell me: "your name is only there three times, it won't be you." Yes, I'm fourteen, and I've only been aloud to put my name in there once per year, since I'm twelve. So, three papers with my name on it. I try to believe in what people tell me, but you know what they say, third time's the charm. Even though there are other kids with lots of papers, it's a question of luck. And in the last years I felt like my luck is slowly disappearing.  
"Hey, wake up or we're gonna be late." It's my brother's voice. This will be his last year. I don't even know how many times his name is in there, my family won't tell me, but I know he hasn't only put is name once, every year.  
I open my eyes. As always, the sun comes through my window, illuminanting my room. There's not much to see in here. A bed, we're I'm lying. My closet with the last two dresses I used in the reaping day, and my normal clothes. There's also a table with a lamp and some books. That's all. You see, we're not poor enough to starve, but we're also not rich.  
I get out of bed and go get a fast shower in cold water. When I'm done I wrap myself in a towel and go back to my bed room. My mom is already there with a new dress.  
"Why can't I dress the one I wore last year? I didn't grow up." I claim.  
"Because you have to look pretty." My mom is always very calm. I don't know how she can deal with this day like this. One of her children can be chosen today.  
"Yesterday you seemed to be sure I wasn't going to be picked." I dry my air using the towel and then let her put the dress in my skinny body.  
"That doesn't mean you shouldn't look pretty." She smiles while thighten the latch on the back of my dress.  
I pinch my lips to force myself to remain in silence.  
Seeing that I won't argue with her, she focus in my brown and curly hair. Using two hairpins, she pulls the upper part of my hair to the back, leavind the fringe.  
"Don't you want to eat?" She asks, while goes get my shoes.  
She knows I always throw up when I eat breakfast, but as today is not a normal day, she just asks. I shake my head, denying the offer.  
"Can we come in?" It's my brother again. And my father is probably with him.  
"Sure." My mom answers while I put my shoes on.  
I watch my brother and my father coming in my room, that is now to crowded. My mom and my dad are the exact opposite. My mom has a beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes, and my father has dark eyes and dark hair. Somehow my brother managed to get my mom's blonde hair.  
"You look beautiful." My father sighs.  
"Thanks dad."  
"And we should go now. I want to meet my friends before we get to square." My brother is only trying to get us out. Even though both my mom and dad are very calm, I'm really nervous, and my brother can feel it.  
"Josh's right." I say, while I get out of the bedroom and walk down stairs. When I get to the door that leads us outside the house, I turn around and wait for my parents last kiss on my forehead before the reaping.  
"Don't be late." My mom warns us.  
I nod, and my brother pulls me outside.  
"You have half an hour. Go. I' won't tell anyone, just don't be late." I don't wait for him to say it again. I just run. The fields are empty now, at least from persons. All I want right now is to escape from reality for a while. I want to feel free from all this violence. From the Hunger Games.

I'm now at the the town square, waiting for the reaping to beging. My fist is clenched around a necklace I wear since I was a little girl. It's made of gold and has a small pendant with the form of a treble clef, which simply means music, very common in my distric because of the mockingjays. We use them in the fields to say that everyone can go home after a work day.  
I look at my brother. He is in the other side of the square telling jokes with his friends. Of course he's not worried, that's how he is. As for me, I'm in panic. I know something is not right.  
The escort of our distric, a young lady, with purple air, just got on the stage. Our mentor is late, so she starts whitout him.  
"Hello, Hello! How are you district eleven?" She salutes us, and then starts showing the same stupid video they make us watch every year. My panic is growing. The moment is getting closer! To calm me down, I try to abstract myself from what surrounds me and strive to hear the sounds of the planted fields. After some minutes of focus, I finally achieve my goal. I can hear the mockingjays' melodie. They're particullary happy today. They have the fields for them, because nobody is working. For a small moment I can even hear the trees growing and feel the smell of the grass, just like I did some minutes ago. I've got to say, I love trees. I lived all my life climbing them, and illegally eating some of their fruits. It's impossible not to love them with a childhood like mine, even though, I might be only one of the few brave enough "steal". Well, I've never been caught, and that's what makes me feel proud of myself. People can't see me if I don't want them to.  
"And now, let's see who's going to be our female tribute!" It's like my heart fell to the ground. Those we're the only words capable of stealling my attencion.  
Our mentor, a young men that could actually be charmings if he wasn't so stupid, has arrived whitout I notice, and has is hand inside the great glass ball containing the names of all the female children with ages between twelve and eighteen from district eleven. Three of them are mine. He takes one small paper right from the top of the amount of papers. Slowly opens it and shows it to the escort. I can feel my heart beating too fast and I barely can't breathe.  
The escort aproaches to the microphone and says the name.  
"Alice Louis."  
My heart skips a beat before I actually realize what's happening. It's my name. I'm going to the Games. And I'll probably die.  
Some peace keepers come to get me when I start walking towards the stage. When I get there my mentor places his arm around my waist. I potrait myself, but he keeps it steady. My eyes try to find another eyes in the middle of the crowd. Eyes with the exact same brown tone as mine. When I meet them I can see the tension on my brother's expression. He is trying to solve this. But there's nothing he can do. Male tributes can't replace female tributes. I nod to tell him it's okay. He doesn't answer me.  
"How hold are you, sweetie?" Again I take some time to realize that the escort is talking to me.  
"Fourteen." I answer in a low voice.  
She says something, but I don't listen to her. Then our mentor... my mentor, finally lets me go and puts is hand on the other great glass ball.  
The male tribute is being called now, but I can't hear anything. My eyes and ears are focused solely on my brother. I hope he visits me, in the visitor hour, when tributes that have been selected can have a last talk to their relatives and friends. I don't have friends, so all that I can count on is my family. And it's while I'm focused in my brother, that I hear a sound. A sound coming from his lips.  
"I volunteer!" He says.  
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. He didn't just do that! I know he's trying to protect me, by coming with me to the arena, but my parents can't lose both of us. And there can't be two winners. I feel the tears coming and I try to stop them, but it's a battle I know I won't win.  
I don't even need strain to hear the mockingjays now, all is silent after the intervention of my brother. All but one. A boy. Tall. Beautiful blue eyes and light brown hair, though a bit lighter than mine, almost blonde. I've seen him before, at school. He's two years older than me.  
"It was dramatic." He says. Somehow the tears are gone, and suddenly I feel like I want to hit him. He's making fun of my brother. "But don't worry. He won't die, because he's not going. I am. I volunteer to go in his place!" His voice his calm, but I can see the pain and the fear in his eyes. Why did he do it? Why did he saved my brother? And why doesn't his family react? Better, why didn't my family react? Where are they?  
Even the mockingjays stop singing. Two volunteers in the same day. I think that never happened in our district. Maybe in the careers districts, but not here. Here nobody wants to go to the game.  
The careers are the tributes from districts one, two and four. In those districts it's an honor to go to the Games, so everyone is trained since their born to be prepared for it. It's supposed to be ilegal, but the Capitol seems to think that in makes the Games more interesting. I can't see where's the interest of having victor from the same districts ever year...  
Now that my brother is save, I pay attencion at what is happening around me, for the first time. I can hear the sound of his boots hitting the stairs, while he climbs to the stage. When he arrives our escort ask him his name and his age.  
"Jared. Jared O'Shea. I'm sixteen."  
"Alice Louis and Jared O'Shea. Our tributes from district eleven." Says our mentor.  
"Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor." Completes our mentor, while they takes us out of the stage.  
Jared. Jared O'Shea. The name won't get out of my head. Ever. I owe this boy my brother's life. 


	2. Chapter Two Visitor's Hour

**Chapter Two – Visitors Hour**

Our escort took me and Jared into two separate rooms in the Hall of Justice, where our Mayor lives. We're now on our visitors' hour. In the next hour I can have a last talk to my family. It'll be my last chance to see them, touch them, for the last time before they take me to the Capitol; before I die.

I'm sitting on a chair, staring at the door, and fearing that nobody will get in this room through it during the next hour. My hand hurts because my fist is clenched around my necklace. I always do this when I'm nervous. For some reason I'm not afraid to go to the Games anymore. It's like I've accepted my death already. Of course I'm not just going there and wait for the careers to kill me. No. I'm decided to do something better, not for me, but for the boy who saved my brother. I have to make him win.

"Jared. Jared O'Shea." The name is still resounding on my head.

I watch the door being slowly opened and I wonder if the hour has passed already, but then I see my mom and my dad coming in and I get up and run to them. The tears start to fall from my eyes while my mom hugs me.

"It's okay, sweetie. You'll be alright." She says.

It sounds really bad that my mom says this to me; I mean I'm her daughter. But I don't care. I'm just so happy that they came to see me. She lets me go and I hug my dad. He doesn't say anything and I can feel his muscles contracted. All the calm he tried to show this morning is now gone.

"Where's Jake? Why didn't he come with you?" I ask. I'm afraid he might be doing something stupid.

"He said he'd come next." My mom explains.

"Why?"

"He didn't say. Maybe he just wants to be alone with, before…" She stops talking and puts my hair behind my ear with a sad smile on her face.

Someone knocks at the door and I look at it. There's a peace keeper in there.

"You'll have to go now sirs. There are another two visitors waiting."

"Two?" One is my brother, but who's the other visitor? I can't remember of anybody else that would like to visit me. The peace keeper doesn't answer me.

My mom nods and my parents give me one last kiss in the forehead, exactly as they do before the reaping.

"We'll be supporting you. Don't forget that." My dad says, before they live.

I can still feel the warm tears in my eyes. I know the peace keeper has to get my parents out of the Hall of Justice and then go get my brother so it's going to take a while. I go back to my chair and sit with my arms around my legs.

After about ten minutes the door is opened again. I see the eyes with the same brown color as mine. I run to my brother and let him hold me in his arms. I let him pretend that I'm safe. I remember he used to this a lot when I was younger; actually the last time he did it was the night before my first reaping. That was the day I realized that no matter how hard I tried to believe those arms will always keep me safe, they were powerless against the Capitol.

I start crying even more and my brother stops hugging me.

"No! You're not going to cry now. This isn't a goodbye. In three weeks I'll see you again."

I look at him, but I can't say anything. The tears keep falling from my eyes. Why can't he see that I have no chances to win? That, even if I did, I wouldn't, because I owe Jared Josh's life.

"Alice, no! Say something! Don't just stay there and cry. That's not who you are."

I force myself to give him an answer.

"There's going to be twenty four tributes in there, Josh. And only _one _victor. I'm going to do my best for that victor to be from our district."

"I hope so." He says, but then he looks at me with an understandable look. "Oh, no. You're not going to give your life for his life. You can't do that!"

"I owe him that." It's the only thing I say, and he knows it's true. And, for some reason, that makes my tears disappear. If I want to help Jared I have to be strong.

Another knock on the door and I know Josh as to leave now.

"You're safe now. This was your last year." I say. "Take care of yourself, Josh."

And that's when I see it. For the first time I see tears falling from my brother's eyes.

The peace keeper holds my brother's arm and forces him let me go and leave the room. When our hands lose contact Josh stops fighting against the peace keeper, as if his strength vanished.

I'm ready to sit again and wait for the mysterious visitor, but the door open right after it's closed. My first thought is that my brother escaped from the peace keeper and managed to come back. But it's not Josh.

In front of me is standing Mayor Williams. He's a young man that became district eleven's Mayor three years ago. I think he was thirty two by the time, so he's now thirty five. Here people die soon, it's normal to have a young Mayor. Though he looks weird today. His blue eyes look more tired than usual and it seems to me that he has been crying. I try to find a reason for that, but the Mayor doesn't have a family. He never got married or had kids, which is kind of awkward as he has a lot of suitors. Anyway if he has no family why was crying about? He has money and protection. He has no reason to cry.

I stare at him, not knowing what to say. Is it normal that Mayors visit the tributes?

"Alice." He says. I'm surprised that he knows my name, but I guess everyone knows my name now. "I'm really sorry that you've been picked."

I keep staring at him.

As he sees I won't say anything he continues.

"Is it much to ask you something?" He looks at the floor instead of looking at me, and I know something is not right. Did I do something?

"No." I answer.

He looks at me again.

"Just make sure my son's death is quick, so he won't feel anything."

WHAT? Jared is the Mayor's son? But how's that possible. They don't even have the same last name.

"Jared…?" I can't say more.

He nods.

"Please." He begs me before turns around and leaves.

I slowly let myself fall in the floor. The boy that saved me is the Mayor's son! How is it possible that nobody knew that? And who's his mother?

And only now I realize how different and kind this boy is. He probably never starved as all of us. But still, he saved my brother's life. Now I realize that this goes farther than me owing him something. I want to save him. I'm going to do everything to keep this boy alive. _Even If I have to kill myself in the end._


	3. Chapter Three Savior

**Chapter Three – Savior**

During the whole trip from the Hall of Justice to the train station I open my mouth several times to ask Jared why he volunteered, but then I remember his father expression and I close my mouth again. He's not even looking at me anyway, so I think I can ask him when we're on the train, leading to the Capitol. For some reason I don't want either our escort or our mentor to hear our conversation, in part because I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who knows Jared is the Mayor's son. I still can't believe it myself.

When the car finally stops, I know we arrived to train station, but we still have to wait a few minutes, while peace keepers force people to stay away from the car and let us get in the train. As soon as I'm inside the train I do everything I can to abstract myself from the people outside; they remind me of my family, the ones I have to leave behind as I walk towards death. I can feel Jared eyes on my back, so I stand even quietly.

I can hear our escort - Mel - closing the curtains behind me. I feel a sigh coming from my mouth, and I know that I'm in fact relieved that no one outside can see me anymore.

"The train will start moving in a few minutes. Exciting is it? You're going to the Capitol for the first time!" Our mentor claps two times and I see Jared lifting is eyebrows.

_And probably my last. _I want to say, but I remain in silence. I also have to force myself to think _my _last, and not _our _last.

As we don't say anything, she proceeds.

"Let's eat then, you two must be starving!" She starts walking and I let Jared follow her, before I start walking too. Again I have to force myself to keep my mouth shut. I mean, they only care if we are starving when we're getting ready to die. Is like preparing a pigs to the slaughter.

I wonder where our mentor is, I don't remember seeing him after we left the car. Did he even entry in the train? I have to confess that the fact that he might have stayed in outside pleases me.

Once we get to the dining room Jared freezes right in from of me and I almost hit him. I have to wait a few minutes for him to unfreeze and turn to me, so I can see what shocked him.

On top of a long table – too big for only four people – there a huge mountain of food. The first thing you see is two baskets of bread, all types of bread you can possible imagine, forming the main mountains. After the bread you notice a big turkey right in the center of the table. Scattered on the table are all kinds of side dishes I can remember of, such as pasta, rice, potatoes and salad. There's also a big variety of drinks, but the only ones I recognize are orange juice, water and wine. And of course, to complete the meal, a pudding is perfectly standing right in beside the turkey.

As Jared, I freeze for a moment, and then I feel like I'm going to throw up. All this food in here – probably half of it is going to the trash, as we can't eat all of that – and lots of people starving out there. This idea just makes me feel sick.

Mel sees that something is wrong with me and approaches. I take a step back.

"Are you okay?" She asks. "Do you want some water?"

I shake my head.

"I just want to know where my bedroom is." I say in a weak voice, controlling myself so I won't run.

In that moment the train starts moving and even though I can't even feel the movement below my feet, my urge to throw up increases.

Mel makes some gests with her hands and I can see her lips moving, but it's like my ears are blocked. For my own surprise, my feet start moving without my control, leading me to my bedroom.

Once I'm there I don't waste time admiring the luxury, it all be over soon. Instead I walk toward the window and spend some time trying to figure out how to close the blinds. As soon as I'm surrounded by darkness I walk with no direction until I find the bed, then I sit with my arms around my legs and my fist clenched around my necklace. It's the third time I do this today. I'm not sure I'm going to make it alive until the beginning of the Games. Maybe that's not a bad idea, but I know they won't let that happen. They have to have their show.

I don't know for how long I stay in the same position, probably hours because I only move when our escort comes to tell me it's time for dinner.

"I'm not hungry." I lie.

"C'mon Alice, you need to eat to have strength. We'll be in the Capitol tomorrow night!"

_Amazing! _I think, with a sarcastic voice in my head, but I don't say anything.

She eventually quits from trying to get me out of the room after half an hour. That's when I get up and turn the lights on.

My hand is bleeding because of the strength I put on my fist when I had it clenched around my necklace. I entry the bathroom and take a few minutes to understand that I only need to put my hands in the sink for the water to start falling. After I wash my hand, I wrap it in a towel, not caring that it'll get covered in blood, and go back to the bedroom.

For the first time since Mel said my name, my curiosity starts growing inside of me. I decide to take the remote that's standing right beside the lamp on the bedside table. When I have the remote in my hand I look around and unsuccessfully try to find a television. As I don't find any I start to think that the remote might not be for a television so I click in the power button.

I startle when the wall that's closer to me starts to show images of Ceaser Flickerman, the host of the Games. I can see that it's not a live show, because the LIVE symbol is missing.

"And now, the most expected moment of the day, the reaping!"

I freeze. It's the first time in three years I'm watching a reaping on TV. Since my first reaping, I never watched the TV again. We're supposed to be obliged to watch the Games or anything related to them, which is actually the only thing that goes on TV. But since my first reaping, since I felt that panic inside me, I can't watch it anymore, not when I know a little bit of out it feels. So instead of watching I hide in the fields, or even at home, during the night. Then nobody can force me to watch that stupid show. Yes, 'cause that's what it really is; a show. A show for the Capitol citizens to have fun with, as they don't have to work as we have, or consequently, starve as we starve.

I try to pay attention to what it's being shown but I just can't. It's too painful. But somehow I manage to memorize some of the other tributes, specially the careers. Megan and Gage from district one. Megan doesn't scare me, but Gage is big, it won't be easy deal with him, but I'll find a way. _I have to._

Next to catch up my attention are the tributes from district two and four. All of them careers, but none of them is as big as Gage, so I only remember the name of the girl from two, Ava, that volunteered, and the boy from four, that didn't even blink when his named was called – Rhys.

And then, after I watch me and Jared leaving the stage – after I see the camera zooming in my brother and I see the panic in his eyes – I watch the last tributes in getting picked. It's sad that they look even worse than us on twelve. I don't remember their names, but the boy who got picked was only thirteen, the only tribute that's younger than me.

When the Panem's anthem starts playing I turn off the TV. I just saw the twenty two tributes I'll have to kill to make sure Jared gets out of there alive.

My stomach makes a weird noise, demanding food, which distracts me, and I thank God for it. I decide that it must have passed mid night so nobody is awake. What will happen if I go to the dining room now? Will I want to throw up again?

I decide to give it a try, and leave the room. When I'm on the hallway, walking towards the dining room, a big hand grabs my wrist from the behind.

"Oh, you're still alive?" I can fell the smell of alcohol coming from Luke's - my mentor - mouth. So that's where he was: getting drunk.

I try release my wrist, but he's stronger than me.

"It's okay, I won't hurt you. Actually, I was thinking about hmm… let's say giving you a chance that you might never have again? Huh? What you think?"

I pinch my lips and try to step backward but he keeps is hand steady. More, he pulls me closer, so that I can feel his breath in my face. It's disgusting.

"Are you trying to run from me?" He starts to caress me on the cheeks and I start shaking violently. I know what he's trying to do. "C'mon, you can't say you don't think I'm attractive, can you? You're pretty for a fourteen year old girl too. Just a ride, you won't regret it?"

That's when I feel a scream coming from my throat; a scream that I've never heard before, because I've never been so afraid in my life.

I scream again, and he hits me in the face, but I barely feel it.

"You shut up! You'll wake the whole train with that scream!"

My body is still shaking and I can't control myself when I scream again. He lifts his hand and I think is going to hit me again, but another hand stops him.

I fall in the ground before I realize what happening. Jared just punched our mentor in the stomach, and then in the face. That plus the alcohol put it asleep.

I keep trembling, but softly. Jared lows himself to touch me, but I portrait myself, afraid of his touch, afraid of anyone's touch.

"Shh, it's okay." He whispers. "It won't happen again. I'm here now."

I can tell his worried and scared by looking into his blue eyes. He's telling the truth, so I nod. He slowly touches me in the arm to make sure I won't try to run. Then just a second later, his arms are surrounding me and I'm crying to his chest. Right there, on the floor of the hallway, with our mentor sleeping right next us. I feel relieve that nobody else heard my scream, and happy that Jared came.

When I feel like I'm out of tears to cry out, I lift my head and look at him. He is still worried and scared, but he's also in pain, I can see that, and it hurts me too. Again I start panicking, I felt too many emotions today and I didn't eat, so control is not something that I expect to achieve. Again I lean my head in his chest, and for a stupid moment I giggle and say.

"Maybe I should start to call you my savior."

He forces a laugh, and holds me closer to him.

"And maybe you should sleep."


	4. Chapter Four The Mayor's Son

**Chapter Four – The Mayor's Son**

I wake up to the sound of screams, and for a brief second I wonder what's the subject of the discussion between my brother and my mom today. But then I remember everything that happened yesterday, especially what happened last night.

I don't remember going back to bed, so Jared must have brought me here. I look around, hoping to find him but he's not here, as I should've known. He only came last night because that's who he is – the kindest boy I'll ever meet. Somebody needed help, and he came to help, that's all, he didn't come _because of me. _I feel pain in my chest and force myself to believe that is due to the fact that Luke almost raped me. The simple thought of it causes me to chill, and I wonder if I'm ever going to forget about it.

"Where do you think you're taking that food to?" I hear Luke's voice screaming. He's upset, I can tell. Maybe he didn't like being punched yesterday.

I sit, trying to pay more attention to what's happening in the dining room, and that's when I notice the door. It's slightly opened, like if someone just got out and was planning on coming back, so didn't fully close it.

"Alice must be hungry." I hear Jared's calm voice. I feel myself blush and I thank God I'm alone.

"If she's that hungry she would have come by herself." I hardly hear Mel saying, as she seems to be the only one that is not speaking loudly.

"She tried."

I imagine Jared with his back turned to Mel and preparing a tray with food, then, when he says "She tried" a confused look crosses Mel's face.

"What are you talking about?" She asks.

There's a pause, and I can almost see Jared turning around to look at our mentor.

"Why don't you ask him?" I hear a sound and then he talks again. "You should be ashamed of yourself, she's only fourteen."

Steps now.

I get out of bed and open a few drawers to pretend I was looking for something in them instead of being listening to their conversation. When I find a towel I take it back of the drawer, just to keep looking for clothes – I'm still wearing the same dress my mom gave me yesterday.

For a second I wonder what my family is doing right now, but then the door opens. Jared stands in there with the tray on his hand and looking at me.

"I brought food." He says, shyly, with his eyes focused on me. "I figured you must be starving."

My stomach answers for me, and I look down so he won't see me blushing. The food smells really good.

"Thanks." It's all I can think of to say.

He places the tray on the bed.

"Were you looking for something?"

I nod.

"Yeah, I was thinking about getting a shower." I look up to him. He's not wearing the same clothes he had yesterday. He's wearing a blue shirt and black jeans. Expensive clothes for what I can see.

"Well, can you eat first, please?"

"Please…?" I ask, confused. Why is he saying please?

"I'm still thinking you're going to pass out anytime." He explains, and he's serious.

I look at the food. He brought cake, toasts, fruit and a white drink that I never drunk before.

"Will you eat with me?" I ask while I sit on my bed.

"If you want me to, I can go get some food for me."

I shake my head.

"I won't eat all of that. We can share." I'm not even sure if I can eat a piece of that. I'm not used to eat right after I wake up.

He nods and sits on the other side of the tray.

"What's that?" I point at the white liquid.

"Milk." He says.

Oh, I know what milk is – it comes from cows -, I just didn't know it was white.

Back on district eleven the only animals we have seen are mockingjays, or some other birds, but you can finds pictures of other animals on books, like cows.

I take a toast and start to eat. I don't feel like I'm going to throw up so I keep on eating my toast. He hesitates.

"You sure you don't want me to get food for me then you can eat properly? We need to eat as much as we can before they get us in the arena."

I swallow what I had in my mouth and shake my head, again

"You're wrong. We shouldn't eat much." He makes a confused look. "The less we eat, the less we'll miss on the arena."

He nods, thinking about what I just said. We eat the rest of the meal in silence. When we're done I want to ask him why he volunteered, but it's like I don't know how to do it, like the words refused to come out of mouth.

"You're the Mayor's son." I end up saying, and regret the exact moment I did it.

His blue eyes focus on mine and I have to make a big effort not to look down.

"He visited you." It's not a question, he knows it. "At least he visited one of us."

I freeze. He didn't visit his own son? I want to say something, but I don't know what, so I just remain in silence. He stands up, and I know he's not ready to tell me, but I feel like he will.

"Maybe you should go get you shower."

I nod, but I can't keep myself from asking:

"Are you coming back?" He knows I'm too afraid of Luke to get out of my room.

"Sure." He says, smiling. Then he grabs the tray and leaves.

I hear voices while I'm looking for something to wear.

"You can't keep her in there forever. We'll get to the Capitol today." It's Luke.

"No, but I can keep her away from you. And that's what I'm going to do, twenty-four hours a day, so you better not try anything."

"Look, I was drunk, okay, I didn't…"

I don't want to hear the rest. There is no excuse for what he did. I grab some white shorts from a drawer and a blue top and go in the bathroom. I take some time to understand how does the shower work, and some more minutes to choose a smell for the shampoo, that apparently come out with the water. I choose one that smells like the woods, which is pretty much my smell.

When I'm done with my shower I dry my body and dress my underwear, then wrap myself in the towel. I stand right in front of the mirror. My face is red and a bit swollen in the place Luke slapped me. I low the towel to look at my waist. It's covered in bruises.

I feel it all again, Luke holding me, so close to him I could smell his whiff, and trying to get me in bed with him, then me screaming. Tears start to fall from my eyes and I touch my body, ending up by dropping the towel. I feel the pain and the strength of Luke's hands when I touch it, I feel like I'm going to pass out, just as Jared said, and that's when I remember him. I remember his touch yesterday, holding me gently. And suddenly I'm thinking about_ him_. I'm thinking about those blue eyes staring right into mine.

I hear a knock on the door and Jared comes in before I have time to wrap myself in the towel again. I still try to do it, but he holds my arm softly, and keeps it down. I look at him, embarrassed. He got a shower too, but he is wearing the same clothes, so I guess he must have put them this morning before breakfast.

He steps forward, staying close to me, then silently asks for permission to touch me. I hesitate before I nod. He touches my waist just as I did a minute ago, and I feel a chill passing trough me. Not like a bad chill. It's good. It's like it turns me on, in some way.

He takes his hand out of my waist and puts it in my right cheek, the one that's not hurt. Slowly he dries my tears, being careful not to hurt me in the left cheek.

"I'm not going to let him touch you again." He says, while his thumbs caress me. "I still can't believe how much he hurt you."

I think of what people would think if they saw us like this. Me, in underwear, and Jared, standing in front of me, and I don't even know why.

"How did he win?" I ask.

"You don't-? You don't know?" He looks shocked.

I shake my head and he lows his hand.

"Maybe you should get dressed first." He smiles, provoking me, and it works, I feel myself blushing. "I'll just wait outside. Maybe I'll get us something for lunch." As it passed that long?

He comes out and I start to get dressed as fast I can. When I'm done I comb my hair and go in the room. He's already there, waiting for me. He didn't bring much food, but it's still more than I'm used to eat. I sit in the bed, right next to him and start to eat some meat. I've never eaten this type of meat before. We are only aloud to eat meat twice a week back on district eleven.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Chicken." He says, taking a piece of chicken I have in my hand.

"HEY!" I claim. "You have more in the plate."

He laughs.

"I'm just helping you on your diet." He winks.

I push him, but he doesn't even move. Instead he puts one arm around me and keeps on "stealing" food from me.

"Now if I fall, you fall with me." He says.

I stop with the laughing, and go straight to the point.

"How and when?"

His smile gets lost too.

"Two years ago." My first reaping. "The arena was a volcano. He got lucky and everyone died with the lava before him."

"Lucky him, huh?" I say.

Jared makes a weird expression, like hanger.

"He wouldn't be so lucky if I was on that arena with him." I freeze, surprised. I've never seen Jared like this, not that I know him for a long time, but still. And even when he talked to Mel, he wasn't that kind. Why does he only act like this with me?

We end eating and keep on talking about nothing in special. He tells me how it was to live in the Mayor's house and I tell him how it was to live in my house.

"You're not telling me everything." He accuses me.

"What? Yes I am." What is he talking about?

"You're not telling me about when you run to-" Someone knocks on the door and I immediately course that person. Is it possible that Jared knew I run to the fields to steal?

"It's opened." Jared says.

The door opens and the first thing we see is a purple hair.

"We're almost there. Just a few minutes away. And I have some information for you. Unfortunately I won't be the one to wake you up tomorrow and I will only see you right before the tributes parade, so behave while you're with your stylists." It's weird that it has been hours since we're started to talk, but it seemed like five minutes.

"What, we won't see you the whole day? That sucks!" I say, trying to look serious, but can't avoid to have a tone of sarcasm on my voice.

I can feel Jared containing his self not to laugh, and again I'm surprised. I didn't realize I was so close to him.

"I know, I know. I'll meet you at the entrance wagon." She steps backward and closes the door. Both me and Jared start laughing once we think she can't hear us anymore.

Then the train stops, and we don't want to laugh anymore. We're here, we're in the Capitol. None of us runs to the window to see what's outside. We don't want to know. It didn't seem real before, but looking outside is like saying: here we are, ready to die.

I stand up and look at Jared. He's not relaxed anymore, he's as nervous as I am. He stands up too and nods. I walk through the hallway fearing the moment I'll meet Luke. Right before we enter the entrance wagon I stop. Jared stops too. We can hear the noise outside. The Capitol citizens are already waiting for us.

"Alliance?" He whispers.

"Alliance." I say, thinking this is the best way to protect him. He places his arm around my shoulder and gently pushes me forward.

When I enter the room and hear the first_ person_ outside screaming Jared's name, I know, this is just the beginning of their show. There's still a lot to go through before I can die in peace.

**A/N: I know this whole fic sucks, but still, some reviews would be great. Thanks for reading. **


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